Last week, I had the privilege to attend a Battlefield 3 (BF3) Community Event in Seattle Washington during the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX). Before I get into my impressions of the game, I would like give out some thanks to the following: Off Duty Gamers, Gunnar, Razer, ASTRO Gaming and a big thank you to Seeson Mahathavorn, Community Manager at EA for putting this event together. Everyone in attendance had a great time and none of it would have been possible without all his hard work. Now on to my impressions of Battlefield 3 for the Playstation 3 and PC.

While Microsoft's Xbox 360 has its Halos and Gears of Wars, Sony's PlayStation 3 has been searching for that big exclusive multiplayer title to keep gamers on the system. Of course many would argue that Killzone 2 already filled that void a little under two years ago with its own brand of unique, first person shooter action. It hit a lot of the right marks but it never felt like the game broke through into the mainstream. Enter Killzone 3.

While Killzone 3 will have a full deep singe player campaign that many are no doubt looking forward to, the real of meat of Killzone 3 is the multiplayer. Sony recently rolled out the closed multiplayer beta for the game and I can count myself one of the lucky people to try it out. After spending many hours with the multiplayer I can attest that there has truly been some great improvements to the game as well as a couple of additions that will surely improve the dynamics of playing Killzone 3.

Hit the jump to see the rest of my hands-on impressions from Killzone 3.

The three main problems with Dragon Age: Origins, according to our presenter, are graphics, combat and story. Now when I heard this I was a little confused because I really only agreed with two of those. I had major problems with the combat in the game and certainly the graphics were lacking, but I always thought the story in Dragon Age was great. The world, characters and overall plot were the only things that kept me going in that game. However if Bioware thinks they can tell a better story than they did in Dragon Age: Origins I certainly am not going to stop them.

With these three areas of focus set from the beginning it appears that Bioware is taking a very Mass Effect-esque approach with Dragon Age 2. They seem to have a good grasp on the problems from the first game and are looking to open up Dragon Age 2 and make it more appealing to the masses. After getting my hands on the game I can say they have certainly done their job at giving it a broader appeal. I just hope that, similar to how I feel about Mass Effect 2, they don't end up losing part of Dragon Age's identity in the process.

Hit the jump to see why when you hit a button in Dragon Age 2, something awesome will happen.

When Gears of War 2 added Horde Mode to the classic single-player and multiplayer offerings, I never thought it would become as successful as it has. While Gears did not exactly create the genre it should prove how successful the mode is when you hear that games like Halo and Uncharted are adding a "horde mode." In Gears of War 3, Epic is upping the ante by adding a further variation that flips Horde Mode around to a different perspective.

In Beast Mode the goal is simple. You and up to four friends take the place of the Locust with the simple purpose of eliminating the opposing COG soldiers. The game moves in waves just like Horde Mode. The largest difference is that instead of bunkering down in a defensible position, you are on the attack. You are expected to die -- and die a lot -- especially in the earlier waves. As a member of the Locust horde you also get to spawn in various different forms. The combination of the different "beasts" to play as in addition to the entirely new focus of the mode leads to a game type that is familiar in style but offers a totally different and very fun experience.

Hit the jump to see why Beast Mode is going to be fighting Horde Mode for your time.

When I heard that there was going to be a multiplayer component added to Assassin’s Creed, I thought that we were simply seeing another series with competitive multiplayer being shoehorned in. However once the details surrounding the multiplayer came out I started to gain hope that the multiplayer in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood could be something interesting and possibly something fantastic. After getting my hands on it I’m still a little unsure about it.

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood continues the story of Ezio. The game’s main concept is that he is recruiting other assassins to join him in his fight against the Templars. In the real world (remember all of this is taking place in the virtual world of the Animus) this amounts to Desmond training up other members into becoming awesome assassins just like he will be. The multiplayer then serves as a sort of training ground for these lesser assassins to hone their skills. In it you are given another player that you must find and then kill. However at the same time there is another assassin who is stalking you. This evolves into several layers of cat and mouse with a lot of tension going on in each match.

Hit the jump to read the rest of my impressions.

Duke Nukem Forever exists. It’s true. I’ve actually played it. We had all heard the rumors that Gearbox was reviving the dead piece of vaporware known as Duke Nukem Forever. I don’t imagine many people believed it. I’m sure many people still don’t believe it now. When PAX Prime opened on Friday morning imagine my surprise when I was wandering around and found a big square booth plastered with Duke pictures. “Wow,” I thought, “it actually is true and it actually does exist.”

However to come away from PAX I can not only say that I have played Duke Nukem Forever but I can say that the king is back and better than ever.

Hit the jump to see what you can expect from Duke in 2011.

The year is 2233 and Earth is in a battle for its very existence. The discovery of a new clean energy source known as Crystite has led to a devastating energy storm that has destroyed most of the planet. The last surviving humans have come together in the eye of the storm to save the planet. Along the way they will have to fight off vicious animals and fend off a new bloodthirsty race known only as The Chosen. Welcome to the world of Firefall.

Firefall is a new PC game being developed by Red 5 Studios. It was revealed for the first time on the first day of PAX and their booth at the show spread a huge amount of buzz around the floor, leading to a packed crowd every time they held a demonstration. The basic idea of Firefall is to give players a persistent on-line world where they will be able to work together with hundreds of other players on cooperative missions. Unlike many other MMOs, Firefall is a skill-based shooter. There are class-based skills but your main offensive ability will rely on your guns and your prowess with them. Apart from the cooperative play there will also be competitive multiplayer filled with tournaments, ladders, etc. However the biggest news about Firefall is that when it comes out at the end of 2011, it will entirely free to play. It will also include a marketplace to "allow fans to purchase optional enhancements."

Hit the jump to see the rest of of my impressions as well as the entire gameplay demo from PAX.

Army of Two: The 40th Day seems to have a crazy, completely nonsensical story involving a lot less fistbumping and a lot more dead civilians than the first. Although I’ve seen the game a couple of times now, I cannot for my life figure out just what is going on, besides that our mercenaries are in Shanghai and there’s a bunch of psychos in red wandering around shooting stuff. But I guess that’s part of the intrigue. But what else is there besides the obtuse story? The multiplayer, naturally.

I had a chance to play through the various modes that’ll be available in the game when it hits January 13th, as well as a mode that’s only available to preorderers at launch. I also got a cursory glance at the PSP version of the game, as well as talk briefly with the lead designer of the game’s multiplayer, Eric Chartrand. Read about the event after the jump.

Last week, I took a trip to the EA Redwood Shores to get some hands on time with Skate 3. I briefly played the original Skate and found it to be a nice alternative to the Tony Hawk series but ultimately being a casual skate boarding fan, I decided to pass. A year later EA released Skate 2 and remembering my experience with the original, once again I decided to pass. So when EA asked me to attend a community event for Skate 3, I was unsure if i was the right person to attend but ultimately felt that since I am casual skateboarding fan, maybe I am the audience that developer Black Box is trying to capture.

Keep reading after the jump for my impressions of Skate 3.

There are several AAA games scheduled for release this holiday season, and the one that could sell the best might not have Spartans, zombies or even guns at all. New Super Mario Bros. Wii is coming out later this year and it should easily appeal to the hardcore and casual gamers alike due to its nostalgia factor for the hardcore as well as its ease of play for the causal fans. Sounds like Nintendo has the recipe for the perfect game right? I had the chance to sit down with Nintendo's upcoming blockbuster and I have a full report below.

Hit the jump for more information about my hands-on time with the game.

Despite anyone outside of Infinity Ward actually having played it, many fans of the series have been asking themselves, Modern Warfare 2 is it the game of the year? Activision recently invited members of the media to attend a first look multiplayer event for Modern Warfare 2 and after having about 4 hours of hands on time it is safe to say the question has been answered; Infinity Ward has out done themselves (again) with Modern Warfare 2.

While at PAX, one of my main goals was to check out Capcom's area. They've always been a favorite company of mine, and while I was treated to some great games, one stood far and away my favorite game of everything I saw at the show. I'm a bit taken aback by the fact that Dark Void isn't getting more attention. It certainly deserves it.

The hustle and bustle of the show floor didn't really lend itself to sussing out story details. Thankfully, supplemental materials that were given at the booth flesh things out a bit. In Dark Void, you play the role of Will, a pilot dropped into a parallel universe called "The Void." In the Void, you are given access to a jetpack designed by none other than Nikola Tesla, ostensibly to help a rebel group of humans called "The Survivors." You're recruited to help defend against a mysterious alien race currently besieging the Earth. While that may sound slightly shallow, keep in mind these are bare bones details and the story is sure to go a bit deeper than that.

A story means nothing without gameplay though, and that is where Dark Void truly excels. Strap on your Tesla powered jetpack and hit the jump for the ride of your life.

Man, there were a lot of RPGs at PAX this year. With Blizzard showing its trifecta in the far corner and the entire floor dotted by various forms of online roleplaying conduits, it’s weird how a little game by a small company can possible pierce the veil lying over the whole event. But it seems that's what has happened with Torchlight.

One cannot stop but think that Torchlight looks fairly similar to something else that we’ve seen a lot of lately. You travel underground fighting all sorts of fantasy creatures using spells and upgradable equipment, all of which is randomly generated by some background mechanic. Which is what you can expect, really, when the game comes to use from the designers of the first two Diablos and Fate. What this game adds, however, is a bit more charm.

CDV Software seem to be up to its usual at PAX, a few meddling releases that it can’t get rid of, some easy rerelease, and some underground RPG that nobody has heard of. They were showing off two DS games that were wandering in the wings waiting for an adequate release date; I Heart Geeks, a physics-based game delayed due to a complete aesthetic redesign by Marc Ecko, and My Little Baby, delayed due to reasons of...well...being of little interest to anyone. I’ll pass on commenting on these.

It also previewed the high-definition version of Serious Sam: The First Encounter, which is exactly the same as the original version only better looking, and coming to Xbox Live as well as PC. On account of it being the exact same game, I’ve got nothing more to say about it.

Probably the only interesting offering from CDV this time around is the American release of Divinity 2, the sequel in-pretty-much-name-only of Divine Divinity, an action RPG which takes all the basic options and warps them into something that either is pretty cool or possibly over the top.